GridLock

Inspiration :- Most puzzle games are either too easy to master or become repetitive after a few plays. We wanted to create a game that's simple enough for anyone to start playing instantly, yet challenging enough to keep them thinking. Our goal was to design a clean, satisfying experience where every click feels meaningful and success comes from observation, logic, and pattern recognition—not luck.

What it does :- GridLock is a pattern-based puzzle game where players must discover a hidden sequence on a 6×6 grid by selecting the correct cells in the right order.

🟩 Correct selections turn green and stay revealed. 🟥 Incorrect selections flash red before resetting. ⏱️ A timer tracks how quickly you solve the puzzle. 📊 A move counter records every attempt. 💡 A limited hint system helps when you're stuck. 🎉 Completing the entire pattern triggers a victory animation and displays your final time and moves.

The gameplay is designed to be quick, intuitive, and rewarding on both desktop and mobile devices.

How we built it ;- We built GridLock using modern web technologies to create a fast, responsive, and scalable puzzle experience.

Tech Stack

Devvit Web React TypeScript Phaser 3 Tailwind CSS Vite

The puzzle engine is modular, making it easy to create and add new handcrafted puzzles without changing the core game logic.

Challenges we ran into:- One of our biggest challenges was designing puzzles that felt challenging but fair. We wanted every solution to reward logical thinking instead of trial and error, which meant carefully crafting and testing each pattern.

Another challenge was creating a smooth and responsive experience across both desktop and mobile devices. We focused on making every interaction feel natural, with instant visual feedback, fluid animations, and accurate input handling.

Finally, we spent time structuring the puzzle engine so it could easily support new handcrafted puzzles in the future without requiring changes to the core game logic. Building with scalability in mind helped us create a cleaner and more maintainable codebase.

Accomplishments that we're proud of :-

Designed a clean and intuitive puzzle experience that's easy to learn. Built a responsive game that works smoothly across devices. Created a reusable puzzle engine for future daily challenges. Added satisfying visual feedback for every correct and incorrect move. Developed a scalable architecture that makes expanding the game much easier.

What we learned:- Building GridLock taught us that great puzzle games are defined by thoughtful design, not unnecessary complexity. We learned how important smooth interactions, instant feedback, and balanced puzzle difficulty are in creating an engaging experience. We also gained valuable experience combining React, Phaser, and TypeScript into a maintainable game architecture.

What's next for GridLock :- This is just the beginning. Our roadmap includes:

🌍 Daily rotating handcrafted puzzles 🏆 Global leaderboards 🔥 Daily streaks and achievements 👥 Community-created puzzle packs 📈 Multiple difficulty levels 🎨 More themes and visual customization 🎉 Seasonal events and limited-time challenges ♿ Improved accessibility features

Our long-term vision is to make GridLock a daily puzzle experience that players look forward to solving, with fresh challenges and new ways to compete and improve every day.